Flange beams of wood



Aug. 26, 1952 K. H. BRosENlus FLANGE BEAMS oF woon Filed myv 23, 1947 XAQV 50 .6^

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Patented Aug. 26, `1952 UNITED FLANGE BEAMS F WOOD Karl HildingBrosenius, Stockholm, Sweden Application July 23, 1947, Serial No.'762,870 In Sweden April 19, 1941 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8,1946 Patent expires April 19, 1961 7 Claims.

Flange beams of wood, the webs of which comprise two or more layers ofseparate boards, crossing each other diagonally, have lately beenfrequently used for building purposes. When constructing the skeletonfor buildings the problem often arises how to join such beams in anangle giving this joint a both attractive appearance and suicientstrength, In order that the combined beam construction may then transmitmomenta and shearing forces as well as perpendicular forces respectivelythrough the angle to the same amount as in an unbroken beam, it hashitherto been considered necessary to make such joint by means ofnailed-on joint-pieces or knees, most frequently by using special boltediron f1ttings of plane iron or any other forging or by means ofwood-constructions bolted together. Such joints as hitherto knowngenerally make the construction voluminous and ugly, and besides it hasnot been possible heretofore to make such joints otherwise than with afairly limited number of power transmissions through the joint.

The main object of the present invention is to avoid these drawbacks.Another object is to provide a construction which`is simple tomanufacture and has a smooth appearance and great strength.

In order to better illustrate the present invention two embodiments'thereof are shown in the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 shows an elevation of one embodiment of a frame constructioncomposed of the beam portions, the twojoints between the three beamsbeing constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows on a larger scalean elevation of one of saidjoints'withthejtwo beam portions spaced apart; Y

Fig. 3 shows on a still larger' scale a detail of the joint according toFig. 2 viewed in elevation and with the two beam portions ininterconnected position;

Fig. 4 is a verticalrsection on the line a-a in Fig. 3; and v l.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line b-b in Fig. 3. 1

The embodiment according to the drawing shows two beams A and B (termedhereinafter the first beam and the second beam, respectively) to bejoined at a corner or an angle H. Each beam consists of a web L havingat least two layers of boards crossing eachother diagonally (see Fig. 3)and flanges F1 and Fz ofiwooden bars attached to the longitudinal edgesof said web. The crossing boards of the web LY are indicated in Fig. 3only. The first flanges F1 of the rst beam A define with the secondanges F2 of the second beam B a quadrangular corner portion to which aresuperimposed the boards of the web layers extending substantiallyparallel to the diagonals of the quadrangular corner portion,respectively. At the corner l-I there occur considerable flangeforces,partly in the vertical section a-a (Fig. 3) through the horizontal beamportion A, partly in the `horizontal section b--b through the verticalbeam portion B. In order to enable the construction of a corner jointresistant to bending it is necessary to transform the vertical flangeforces into horizontal forces or vice versa. -This is made possible inavery economic and convenient manner by applying a closed bar-system atthe place of the joint H, this system comprising (l) the web boards ofone beam A crossing each other diagonally and statically acting as rodsand (2) wood strips, arranged around the joint-so as to form a closedquadrangle cdef. flanges F1 of the beam A and the flanges F2 of the beamB together withv strengthening laths U, V between the flange portions'cd, fe.

The flanges or laths F1, F2 are joined together and attached to the webboards by so close a nailing (if desired in combination with gluing fand/or bolts) that the nails are able to transmit the forces in thecorner construction from the flanges at the one beam to the other one.The vertical forces in the strips U and V are transformed intohorizontal forces in the llange portions dc and ef by the resolution ofcomponents in the boards of the two diagonal panel layers so that thestress or force components are directed -in direction of, and taken upby, a board parallelogram having a vertex in the stressed point andbeing composed of one pair of boards of eachl of the layers, said nailsdefining a plurality of quadrilaterals inscribed tothe quadrilateraldened by the rstfianges and the second anges. Fig. 3 illustrates how forinstance part of the flange `force in the flange fc through a nail Sy isresolved into two loblique components, which are transmitted to thehorizontal flanges. In the same way the forces are divided in the otherflanges. By constructing the corner in this manner very great momentamay be transmitted in a very simple way vwithout any `other connectingelements but nails and if desired glue. Furthermore the corner will bevery attractive in-its appearance asno supplementary knee reinforcementsare used., 'Ihis `method maybe applied also in those cases when .thecorner is not right.- angled but forms an acute or obtuse angle.

The strips constitute thel The vertical beam B may preferably beprovided with a horizontal bar M impinging on the ange 'portion fe. Inorder to transmit horizontal shearing forces in the contacting areabetween the bar M and the flange portion fe an oak block P or the likemay be inserted, or the parts M and l fe may be joined by means ofcross-diagonal panel sheets nailed onto both sides.

What I claim is:

1. A beam structure comprising two angularly arranged flanged beamshaving flanges along the longitudinal edges thereof; flanged end.portions at the ends of said beams to be joined ata corner, said flangedend portions of one beam overlap ping said flanged end portions of theother bea-m' and forming with the same a quadrangular corner portion;two layers of elongated boards superimposed upon said quadrangularcorner' portion and constituting a web covering said quadran'gufv larcorner portion, the boards of one of said lay-v ers extendingsubstantially parallel to one diagonal of said quadrangular cornerportionY and. the boards of the other of said layers extendingsubstantially parallel to thev other diagonal of said quadrangularcorner portion; and a plurality of connecting means firmly connectingsaid superimposedY layers of elongated boards to each other and to saidflanged end portions at a substantial number of points spaced inlongitudinal direction of said flanged endV portions all along the samewhereby components of stress created at any of said. spaced points aredirected in direction of, and taken up, by a board parallelogram havinga vertex in the stressed point and being composed of one pair of vboardsof each of said layers.

2. A beam structure comprising two angularly arranged flanged beamshaving ilanges along the longitudinal edges thereof; flanged endportions at the ends of said beams to be joined at a corner, saidflanged end portions of one beam overl-apping said flanged end portionsof the other beam and forming with the same a quadrangular cornerportion;Y two layers of elongated boards superimposed uponrsaidquadrangular corner portion and constituting a web covering saidquadrangular corner portion and being continuous with the web of one ofsaid beams, the boards of one of said layersextending substantiallyparallel to one diagonal of said quadrangular corner portion andtheboards of the other of said layers f extending substantially `parallelto the other diagonal of said quadrangularV corner portion; and aplurality of nails nrmly-connecti-ng said superimposed layers of boardsto each other and to said ilanged end portions at a substantial num--Yberof points spaced in longitudinalY direction" of saidrilanged endportions all along Ythe saine whereby components of stresscreated at anyof said spaced points are directedY in direction of, and taken up, by aboard parallelogram having a vertex in the stressed point and beingcomposed of one pair of boards of each of said layers.

Y 3.l A beam structure comprising two angularly arrangedflanged beamshaving flanges along the longitudinal edges thereof; flanged endportions `at the ends of said beams to be joined at a corner,

said flanged end portions of one beam overlapping said flanged endportions of the other beam and forming with the same a quadrangularcorner portion; a pair of strengthening strips being arrangedbetvveen'said flanged end portions of one of the beams and parallel ltosaid flanged end portions of the other of the beams; two layers ofelongated boards superimposed upon said quadrangular corner portion andconstituting a stantially parallel to one diagonal of said quadrangularcorner portion and the boards of the other of said layers extendingsubstantially parallel to the other diagonal of said quadrangular cornerportion; and a plurality Vof connecting means firmly connecting saidsuperimposed layers of elongated boards to each other and to saidflanged end portions and said strips at a, substantial; number of pointsspaced in longitudinal direction of saidanged end portions all along thesame whereby components of stress created at any of said spaced pointsare directed in directionl of, and taken up, by a board parallelogramhaving a vertex in the stressed point and being composed of one pair ofboards of each of said layers'.

4. A. beam structure comprising two angularly arranged flanged beamshaving flanges along the longitudinal edges thereof; flanged endportions at the ends of saidbeam's to be joined at acorner, said flangedend portions. of'one beam overlap ping said flanged end' portions of theother beam and forming with the` same a 'quadrangular cor ner portion; apair ofstrengthening strips being arranged between said flanged endportionsof one of the beams and parallel to said ilangedend portions ofthe other of ,the beams; two layers 'of elongated boards superimposedupon said quadrangular corner portion and constituting a web coveringsaid quadrangular corner portionandbeing continuous with the web of oneof said beams, the boards of one of said layers extending substantiallyparallel to one diagonal of said quadrangular corner portion andtheboards of the other of said layers extending substantiallyv parallel tothe other diagonal ofr said quadrangular corner portion; and alplurality of nails firmly connecting said superimposed layers ofelongated boards to each other and to said flanged end vportions andsaid strips at a substantial number of points spaced in longitudinaldirection of said flanged end portions all along the same wherebycomponents of stress created at any of said spaced points are directedin direction of, and taken up, by a board parallelogram having a vertexinthe stressed point and beingcomposed of one pair of boards of each ofsaid layers.

5. A beam structure comprising two angularly arranged flanged beamshaving flanges along the longitudinal edges thereof, flanged endportions at the ends of said beams to be joined at a corner, saidilanged end portions of one beamvoverlap ping said flanged end portionsof theother beam and forming with vthe same ,a quadrangular cor.- nerportion, said flanged end portions at ythe ends of one of the beamsbeing substantially parallel.

and horizontal, said ilanged end portions at the ends of the other ofthe beams being substantially upright; two layers of elongated boardssupere imposed upon said quadrangular corner portion and to said flangedend portions at a substantial number of points spaced in longitudinaldirection of said flangedend. portionsfall alongthe. same wherebycomponents ofstress -createdat any of said spaced points are directed indirection of, and taken up, by a boardparallelogram having a vertex inthe stressed point and being composed of one pair of boards of each ofsaid layers.

6. A beam structure comprising two angularly arranged flanged beamshaving ilanges along the longitudinal edges thereof, flanged endportions at the ends of said beams to be joined at a corner, saidflanged end portions of ,one beam overlapping said flanged end portionsof the other beam and forming with the same a quadrangular cornerportion, said flanged end portions at the ends of one of the beams beingsubstantially parallel and horizontal, said flanged end portions at theends of the other of the beams being substantially upright; a pair ofstrengthening laths being arranged between said flanged end portions ofone of the beams and parallel to said flanged end portions of the otherof the beams; two layers of elongated boards superimposed upon saidquadrangular corner portion and constituting a web covering saidquadrangular corner portion and being continuous with the web of one ofsaid beams, the boards of one of said layers extending substantiallyparallel to one diagonal of said quadrangular corner portion and theboards of the other of said layers extending substantially parallel tothe other diagonal of said quadrangular corner portion; and a @pluralityof connecting means firmly connecting said superimposed layers ofelongated boards to each other and to said flanged end portions and saidlaths at a substantial number of points spaced in longitudinal directionof said flanged end portions f all along the same whereby components ofstress created at any of said spaced points are directed in directionof, and taken up, by a board parallelogram having a vertex in thestressed point and being composed of one pair of boards of each of saidlayers.

'7. A beam structure comprising two angularly arranged flanged beamshaving flanges along the edges thereof, flanged end portions at the endsof said beams to be joined at a corner, said flanged end portions of onebeam overlapping said flanged end portions of the other beam and formingwith the same a quadrangular corner portion, said flanged end portionsat the ends of one of the beams being substantially parallel andhorizontal, said flanged end portions at the ends of the other of thebeams being substantially upright; a pair of strengthening laths beingarranged between said flanged end portions of one of the beams andparallel to said flanged end portions of the other of the beams; twolayers of elongated boards superimposed upon said quadrangular cornerportion and constituting a web covering said quadrangular corner portionand being continuous with the web of one of said beams, the boards ofone of said layers extending substantially parallel to one diagonal ofsaid quadrangular corner portion and the boards of the other of saidlayers extending substantially parallel to the other diagonal of saidquadrangular corner portion; and a, plurality of nails firmly connectingsaid superimposed layers of elongated boards to each other and to saidflanged end portions and said laths at a substantial number of pointsspaced in longitudinal direction of said flanged end portions all alongthe same whereby components of stress created at any of said spacedpoints are directed in direction of, and taken up, by a boardparallelogram having a vertex in the stressed point and being composedof one pair of boards of each of said layers.

KARL HILDING BROSENUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,390,180 Sahlberg Dec. 4, 1945FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 388,290 France May 26, 1908 89 GreatBritain 1913 582,497 Germany 1933 850,225 France 1939 OTHER REFERENCESDeutsche Bauzeitung, Heft 42, 1939, page 816.

